Yet the Pyreburner admires their strength of will.
The Infernian had taken the Glacian to the forest near one of the neighboring villages.
What on Eos is this senseless god thinking, Shiva thought to herself, looking down on the clearing they were scrutinizing. She studied Ifrit's face, which carried a state of elation.
During her examination of his features, she felt her own features soften. He actually held fanciable traits. His orange eyes, which held a consistent merciful gaze. His kindred spirit fueled the warm aura around his person, with a persistence that made the Glacian question her own aura; was it as cold as she? Did it really seep of negativity and indifference, her main thoughts and feelings towards humans? Would she thrive from altering her perspective?
"Watch," her thoughts were cut off by Ifrit's rumbling voice as his warming palm rested itself on the small of her back. His touch spread to the entirety of her back, but she did not shake him off. Had it been a mortal, they would have been incinerated upon contact – for Shiva, it was a dull warmth that was surprisingly snug.
She complied and was met with a group of villagers in the clearing. They had brought chopped wood with them, to her bemusement. It was not easy to focus at first, due to the Infernian's hand on her – she was uncertain of why that caused her focus to waver to a certain degree.
Interest presented itself when the humans seemed to be using the wood to build something. Shiva tilted her head with a newfound spirit of inquiry, her chin resting on her palm.
"The creatures are assembling lodgings," she mused, a lilt in her voice.
"Engrossing, isn't it?" Ifrit grinned, still watching them, "the mortals are astute, Frostbearer. I am to grant them the Gift of Flame for their veneration." When he explained this, one of the humans propped a plank against a nearby tree.
The plank was adorned with a drawing of the Pyreburner on it, engulfed in flames with rage in his eyes. It was fronting from the Pyreburner that was currently next to her, adoring small living beings.
The ungrateful mortals incur the wrath of the Pyreburner. He seeks to raze the very civilization his flames once helped build, a voice whispered to her, akin to one she could not quite decode.
She dismissed it as her own cynicism and continued to observe, seeing the mortals have already created a building with three rooms already assigned to each person. Admittedly, it was quite an impressive feat to see them use nothing but their own minds and will to manifest such a creation. No magic or godlike powers aided them – only their strength of will.
The Glacian started to discern the Infernian's benevolence towards mankind. They carried determination and resolve with them, despite their inevitable demises. Glacian's disdain towards them diminished only a little, but she did discover she was amazed by their work.
"Noble," Shiva agreed, careful to keep any hint of engrossment away from her tone; she did not want to hear the Infernian gloat. "They are creative in their will to survive. I still feel speculation as to how they are to benefit from the aid of the Gods," she narrowed her eyes, but to a small degree. This statement incurred indignation from Ifrit, who turned to face her.
"I tire of your supercilious mockery," he snarled before he walked close to her and grabbed her by her waist, the cool metal of her adornments chilling his own fiery touch. As soon as he touched her, they dissipated from where they had been previously and found themselves in a familiar place; the Hall of the Six.
Even as their full forms made it, Ifrit even then did not release his unshakeable clutch on the Glacian's waist. Giving her no time to retaliate or respond, he slammed her against one of the sacred trees that scattered the front of the meeting place, his arm securing itself around her waist. His free hand flung itself just next to her head, sending a warm wave of air past her earring. Shiva glared up at him, tensed up and leaning as far away from him as the tree would permit.
To her dismay, it was not a long way at all.
"Unhand me, Pyreburner," the Ice Goddess spoke brusquely, finding herself unable to even writhe from his touch. "Or would you like to reap what you sow?"
During this exchange, Ifrit proceeded to move closer to her, his front now against hers. The cold metal that decorated her body contrasted his warm robes, which were soft and almost like that of coverings. His nails almost pierced into her skin, causing a hitch of breath from Shiva to make itself known from her being. She averted her eyes and did her best to not look him in the eye, concealing the faint flush of red that exposed her state of disquiet.
"You've turned scarlet," a sportive jeer danced in the Fire God's tone, "it is, in sooth," he carried on, "enchanting." The hand that had been beside Shiva's head reached down and skimmed the apple of her cheek, which was cool to the touch. Speechless, she let her eyes fall closed; it was in vain to repudiate how reposeful his palm felt against her skin. Their noses were now almost touching, his headdress bumping her forehead in a gentle manner.
"You are inequitable."
"Your doctrine is prejudiced," Ifrit retorted, a growl in his conviction. "Forbye, I detect no objection to my embosoming you, nor do I detect any to this," his touch from her cheek glided down towards one of her wandering braids.
Before Shiva could articulate any form of words, a well-known Archean used Gaia's Wrath on Ifrit. He threw a nearby boulder at the Infernian with a frolicness that was otherwise hard to perceive when it came to the Earth-elemental; he had proven to be the least vocal of the Astrals, even when they all were gathering together (much to the mirth of the Draconian).
Ifrit countered the large rock with Firaga, blasting it into seemingly millions of pieces. Shiva, protected by his back, took no impact of any kind from Titan's assault. She was, however, grateful for the instantaneous interruption. She easily slipped out of Ifrit's embrace, her coldness somehow not as consolatory as she'd have liked it to be.
"Landforger, have you arrived for additional sparring?" Ifrit smiled, a roguish instinct taking over as he drew his sword.
Titan only grinned in response, charging at him with a strong punch that the Infernian parried with a swing of his sword, flames prominent but low to the ground. Prior to commencing, Ifrit turned towards Shiva and leaned in, taking her hand in his to press a quick kiss to her knuckles. His lips were heated amongst her skin.
"Until we meet again, Frostbearer," the Pyreburner smiled broadly at her before he and the Archean took off to the sparring grounds, leaving Shiva still leaning against the tree with bewilderment and a palpitating heart.